For the past twenty years, Wes Weddell has worked multiple shifts in the engine room of Seattle’s roots music scene. A diligent tortoise in a sea of of-distracted hares, the veteran performer keeps his hands in abundant projects as frontman, sideman, writer, teacher, and community-builder.
“Always heartfelt and well-constructed” (Seattle Weekly), listeners have come to expect Weddell’s regionally-rooted songs to “speak for themselves” (No Depression). Yet performed live—solo or with his band behind him—the melodic stories deepen further against the backdrop of the multi-instrumentalist’s relatable presence and quick wit.
In 2010, Weddell began working with The Bushwick Book Club Seattle, an expanding collective of songwriters who each compose new music inspired by literature to share in monthly showcases focused around specific books. Songs from this catalog appear on his latest release, Somewhere in the Middle (2019), and comprise the entirety of the full-band showpiece Nobody’s Flag (2015).
A native of Pullman, WA, Weddell also holds a full-time Seattle Mariners media credential and has participated in a major university study of mountain huckleberry harvesters.